Repugs Must Have War to Remain Relevant

Republicans are desperate for conflict in the Middle East. They see a huge opportunity for war with Iran – an opportunity to keep themselves relevant – and will do anything in their power to fight President Obama on the Iran nuclear deal. After the measure passed the Senate, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) devised a plan to stall the deal again: He’s filing a lawsuit claiming that the Obama administration has failed to turn over the complete text of the bill.

“If you read the provisions in [the congressional review law], it’s pretty clear that the president has not complied. Because it makes clear that any side agreements and any other type of agreement – including those that do not directly involve us – must be turned over as part of it,” said Boehner. “I do not believe that he’s complied.”

According to CNN, it is ordinary that “side deals” are not disclosed. In fact, the “secrets” that John Boehner is so concerned about are not the Obama administration’s secrets at all – they belong to the United Nations.

As Politico notes, the legal fight over the Iran nuclear deal may buy Republicans time to come up with a better way to fight the deal. Republicans are determined that peace cannot the solution to weapons proliferation and nuclear escalation in Iran. They must have war.

Watch Ring of Fire’s discussion of Republican administrations’ legacies of making war in the Middle East.